| Abstract: |
: Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is characterized by the presence of antithyroid antibodies these antibodies have been reported in 5%-10% of reproductive-aged women, making AITD the most common autoimmune disorder affecting this population. Although the most frequent cause of thyroid failure (overt or subclinical hypothyroidism), AITD can present without thyroid dysfunction and, thus, remains undiagnosed.Objective: This Research was designed to study possible relationship between thyroid autoimmunity, with or without thyroid dysfunction, as well as, and unexplained infertility.Materials and Methods: Two groups of women attending to thyroid and infertility clinic in Zagazig University Hospitals were selected, 30 cases as fertile control group, 70 women with unexplained infertility as a patient group. Serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, free Triiodothyronine, anti-thyroperoxidase and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies were evaluated by chemiluminescent immunoassay.Results:The overall frequency of thyroid dysfunction was 32.9% and 3.4% for the infertile and control groups respectively (p=0.005).In women with unexplained infertility 67.1% had euthyroid, 11.4% had subclinical hypothyroid, 12.9% had hypothyroid and 8.6% had hyperthyroid, while in fertile control group 96.6% had euthyroid and 3.4% had subclinical hypothyroid. The frequency of positive thyroid antibodies 18.6% and 0% for the infertile and control groups respectively (p=0.009). There was positive correlation coefficient between the presence of thyroid antibodies (TPO-ab and TG-ab) and mean duration of infertility (p=0.04) (p=0.001) respectively.Conclusion: The current study refered that thyroid dysfunction,whither subclinical or overt, might be an independed risk factor for unexplained infertility.The presence of thyroid antibodies in euthyroid asymptomatic women may serves as marker for unexplained infertility.Thus,screening for thyroid dysfunction as well as thyroid autoimmunity is highly recomended in women with unexplained infertility.
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